Discover a Love of Watersports

Let this week’s article take you on a voyage of discovery on the water-based activities you can enjoy in North Wales.

Whether you want to take the plunge and get fully immersed in a water adventure or want to experience the high seas without getting wet, wherever you are in the region you’re never more than just over an hour from the sea, so dip your toe in and enjoy one of these fabulous activities:

Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP) originates from Hawaii and is the latest watersport craze to hit the UK. The paddle board is similar to a surf board which you propel using a single blade paddle in either a standing or kneeling position. It’s a sport which can be enjoyed by everyone and can be a peaceful journey around our flat waters or much more exciting if you’re experienced and are wave riding. It’s also easy to learn and requires no boarding or canoeing experience and in just one two hour lesson you’ll be able to join a guided journey for a fun and social day out.

Coasteering is all about seeing North Wales’ coastline up close and from a different perspective as you travel by climbing, scrambling, swimming and jumping around the sea cliffs with experienced guides. It can be physically demanding so it’s perfect for fit adventurers.

If you want more of an adrenalin rush then how about White Water Rafting? The National White Water Centre near Bala offers exhilarating and fast paced rides through the crashing waves and boulder strewn rapids of the fast flowing River Tryweryn. There’s also Orca Adventures in a two person inflatable or a Tryweryn Safari which is a more relaxing journey for families.

Surfing, whatever the weather, can be enjoyed on the longest man-made surfable waves in the world at Surf Snowdonia and it’s ideal for surfers of all levels. Beginners can have a 90 minute lesson which guarantees to get you riding the waves by the end so you can then go to the Beginner Bay to catch up to 18 beginner waves in one session. There are two Intermediates Bays with the first offering you a whitewater take-off which turns green as it travels down the lagoon, and the second takes off by the pier so you can catch and drop into a wave before having a long ride on whitewater waves. For experienced surfers, the Advanced Wave rolls for 150 metres at 6-7 metres per second so you can practice a variety of different manoeuvres, but you do need a high level of fitness and competency for this!

If you want to take part in one of the coolest sports on water then Kitesurfing is the answer. This is an action-packed multi-sport which combines windsurfing, surfing, wakeboarding, snowboarding, paragliding, skateboarding and sailing so it is for an active person but it’s suitable for all ages. Head over to Funsport in Rhosneigr for a lesson and they’ll soon have you harnessing the power of the wind to carry you over the water for a exciting ride.

Another new watersport to the UK is Bodyboating, which also combines elements of other watersports but this time it’s surfing, kayaking and swimming. You lie inside a kayak type boat and paddle with your hands either on the sea or down a river and then hold on as you travel through the waves or whitewater!

There are also plenty of sightseeing cruises to be enjoyed across North Wales. From Llandudno Pier in the summer there are trips that take you around the bay, take a cruise down the River Conwy and admire this historic walled town and its famous castle as you motor past, or jump on a pleasure boat at Beaumaris on Anglesey for a trip down the Menai Strait or around Puffin Island to see the puffins as well as a colony of Grey Seals.

For a fast thrill we recommend RibRide who offer a number of excursions on a rib around Anglesey. They also have an adrenalin-fuelled Rib called Velocity which takes you from zero to the “speed of scream”!

Find out more about these and the other watersport activities you can enjoy including Scuba Diving, Windsurfing, Canoeing, Kayaking and learning to sail by visiting our Discovery pages.